Looking for a model of energy efficiency? Look no further than the home of Matt Myers. At nearly 5,000-square-feet on 22 acres near Owasso, it’s an energy-saver’s dream. How was it accomplished? Trial and error.
“A few years ago we’d built a house. About halfway through that process — after the design, after the frame went up — we wanted it to be energy-efficient. We soon realized that needed to be planned from the very beginning.” So, Matt, as general contractor and builder of his own home, went back to the drawing board.
“We wanted something that saved both energy and money, something that gave us complete control over our own comfort. So we did geothermal, full foam insulation, good windows and more.”
A great energy rater helped make the process go smoothly. “My energy rater connected me with PSO and got me signed up as a builder. He also made me aware of the federal geothermal tax credit and the PSO rebates, made sure all my i’s were dotted and t’s were crossed and then tested the whole thing when it was finished.”
And how about those federal tax credits and PSO rebates? “With the geothermal system, the highly rated windows, insulation, indoor air quality equipment . . . when all was said and done, the savings were significant. The geothermal tax credit saved 30% of the total cost of the system and with PSO’s rebate, both almost paid for the difference in equipment costs.”
So what kind of savings has Matt built? “On top of this home being 1,000 square-feet larger than our last home, we also have a large, high-ceiling barn that is not on geothermal, but fully foam-encapsulated. My overall bill with all that extra space, plus heating and cooling the barn, is actually cheaper than our last house.”
Clearly Matt’s plan has paid off. And while he and his family have no plans to move any time soon, he knows that if they do, all that thought and hard work would be reflected in the home’s resale value. “When you factor in PSO’s rebates and the tax credits, in a resale you’re going to recoup every bit of the money you put into it and then some.”
You don’t have to be a home builder to build a home like Matt’s. Check out these builders for homes that use less energy.